These 1 bowl 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are so simple that they are the PERFECT bake for kids. Even better… Because they are flourless, with no added fat, they are naturally gluten free and dairy free too!
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One-bowl Peanut Butter Cookies – The perfect easy recipe for kids
These 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are one of the easiest cookie recipes you’ll find. In fact, they are so simple… this very batch was made by my daughter when she was just 10… No help or adult intervention… I’d like to say that I was a good parent in offering a little supervision when popping the tray in and out of the hot oven… But nope! Miss GF made them while I was at the gym.
The result? Deliciously light, crisp and peanutty. Miss GF made them crunchy, golden and baked to perfection!
Actually, they are the ideal, fun and fail-safe recipe to give kids their first taste of baking confidence… As well as baking freedom! And let’s be honest… there are very few children (or adults) who don’t love a bit of peanut butter… right?
What makes these Peanut Butter Cookies so easy to make?
You may be wondering what makes these cookies so easy? Well, quite simply, they only require a large bowl and a firm mixing spoon… No whisking… no heavy mixers… just a bowl, spoon and 4 ingredients! Oh… and a little enthusiasm for stirring and rolling the dough into balls. Bake and done!
The importance of learning how to bake for Coeliac (Celiac) Kids
As a parent, I feel one of the most important things I can give my child is the confidence to cook and bake for herself. Not having to rely on convenience food (which is often full of sugar, salt and additives as well as super-expensive) is not good for the health.
But as the parent of a Coeliac Child, learning to cook and bake as early as possible is even more important. Gluten free commercial food can be extra high in unhealthy ingredients, not only to try and give shelf-life, but also to make it palatable. Additionally, there’s the concern over potential risk from arsenic in rice, which for anyone reliant on rice flour-based products should not be taken lightly.
But gluten free baking is very different to standard wheat baking. And while you can get cook books which offer the simplest of gluten free recipes that are within everyone’s reach, my own experience of using them has been dire. Brownies with a sugar content that would make my dentist wince… Pizza bases which are only suitable for use as a frisbee… And cookies which are dry and gritty and end up in the bin.
Gluten free skills for life…
I want my daughter to be able to feed herself not only for fuel, but also for health and for enjoyment. And that means gaining the confidence to find and use recipes and ingredients that create food to surpass the usual unhappy gluten free offerings… To blend gluten free flours which create results that are at least as good as their glutenous counterparts… And to create bakes that last more than an hour after baking without going rock hard or crumbling.
It’s one of my main reasons for creating the Gluten Free Alchemist Blog… It’s my legacy to pass to my daughter… The catalogue of ‘as good as wheat’ recipes that are Coeliac-safe and always delicious.
But all baking-skill starts somewhere… And flourless Peanut Butter Cookies are perfect confidence-creators!
Are these cookies Gluten Free and Dairy Free?
Yes! My Peanut Butter Cookies are completely flourless and have no added fat… And that makes them naturally gluten free as well as dairy free. Just be sure to double check the ingredients in the peanut butter used. Depending on brand and where you are in the world, some may contain ingredients that are unsafe for Coeliacs (Celiacs) or have a risk of cross-contamination.
Can I make Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies Vegan?
The peanut butter cookie recipe shared below does contain egg… This helps to bind the ingredients and give structure so that the cookies don’t fall apart. However, they should work well with an egg substitute such as ground Chia seeds.
Just be sure to add as much ground Chia as needed (possibly 3 to 4 tablespoons) for the texture to be firm enough to roll into soft balls.
I’ll be honest… I haven’t it tried myself, but research tells me it’s fine.
What Peanut Butter can I use to make 4 Ingredient Cookies?
Given that the peanut butter is the main ingredient in 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies, it is important to choose the right one. I have never tried making them with homemade or peanut-only peanut butter and wouldn’t recommend it. The additional oils, etc added to most commercial peanut butter (although a very small amount), are likely to offer the recipe additional moisture and to support the baking process.
However… When choosing peanut butter, be sure to find one which uses sustainable products such as peanut oil (for preference) or sustainable palm oil.
Can I use Crunchy Peanut Butter to make these cookies?
Absolutely yes! I always make Peanut Butter Cookies with crunchy peanut butter… It adds yummy bites of nutty crunchiness that give texture and extra deliciousness.
But… If you are not a fan of crunchy nuts, then making these cookies with smooth peanut butter is absolutely fine too. Make a straight sub, like for like.
Can I make 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies chewy?
Yes… Although Miss GF made her cookies more of a crisp and crunchy biscuit version, the same recipe will make equally delicious chewy cookies. Simply bake for less time!
How long will these Peanut Butter Cookies last?
If your household is anything like ours, a batch of Peanut Butter Cookies will be eaten long before you need to worry about how long they actually last. However, if you pop them in an airtight container or biscuit tin, they should last at least a week and probably two!
My recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies
And with that… Here’s my recipe for 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies. Happy baking and enjoy!
If you make them, let me know… Leave a comment and tag me on social media with your cookie-pics!
(You’ll find me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter)
And thank you as always, for visiting Gluten Free Alchemist
Other gluten free Peanut Butter Recipes on the blog
4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Key equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 175 g caster sugar
- 250 g peanut butter crunchy or smooth
- 1 large egg (optionally lightly beaten)
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) optional for a lighter cookie
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4.
- Line a couple of baking sheets with baking parchment.
- In a large bowl, weigh and mix together the sugar and peanut butter.
- Add the egg and bicarbonate of soda and beat together with a wooden or silicone spoon, to make a stiff dough.
- Pull off pieces of dough and roll into walnut-sized balls.
- Place them on the lined baking sheets with a gap between them, for spreading.
- Press lightly on each cookie dough ball to flatten a little.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the cookies are golden. (Bake less for a chewy cookie)
- Remove from the oven and leave on the baking tray to cool for about 10 minutes, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies shared with
- Cook Blog Share Week 30 2021 with Sew White
- Fiesta Friday #388 with Angie
- Blogger’s Pit Stop #280
- Full Plate Thursday #544 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
- What’s for Dinner #325 with The Lazy Gastronome
- Sunday’s On Silverado #49 with The House on Silverado
I’m running behind!! Thanks so much for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party last week. Hope to see you there this week too!! Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Thank you Helen.
You’re so welcome xx
Congrats on the bake sale! Who doesn't love a homemade baked good! Let's talk about these cookies… I love a good peanut butter cookie! And even better that they can be shared with those with gluten intolerances! Thank you for sharing them in this month's Treat Petite!
Hooray for Miss GF and I wish her every success in her cooking and baking endeavours. I adore peanut butter cookies and these look gorgeous AND dangerous.
Thanks Choclette! Hooray indeed! except…….. yes they were very dangerous and way too tempting x
Oh, I have to have a go at making these, they look so lovely. thanks for the recipe
Briony
x
Thanks Briony. Dead easy too….. even a 10 year old could make them! Hope you enjoy them as much as we did x
These look amazing. Great photos too.
I see another blogger joining the scene in the not too distant future……!
Thanks CC….. I think you could be right. I better hang onto my laptop!
They look amazing, wish I could eat nuts 🙁 Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays
Thanks Vicki. Not being able to eat nuts must be so tough!
These cookies look scrumptious! My allergic toddler couldn't have them, but the rest of us would love them! I love the addition of fudge pieces on top. Nom!
Thanks Mel. I really feel for kids with nut allergies…… I think that is way harder than Coeliac.
Beautiful recipe miss GF!A good start for a 10 year old. They look fantastic!!
Thanks Alida. I am very proud of her!
I love Peanut Butter cookies & can't wait to try this GF recipe, pinned & tweeted! Thank you for sharing it, have a Great Week 🙂
Thank you Angela. You're welcome. Do let us know if you try them x
Great idea for a series! And what a great start. These cookies look awesome. You have a very clever daughter. How awful that none of the cookery teachers you spoke to knew much about GF cooking…you'd think these days knowing how to make free from food would be a compulsory part of the curriculum. Maybe you could go in and do a guest spot for them…though by the sounds of it Miss GF could do it herself! Eb x
Thanks Eb…… I am hoping that the series gives her extra encouragement…. but I think I will need to boundary her timing! This weekend she launched into making marble cake just as I was in the middle of cooking tea……
The cookery teachers seemed really dismissive which is a worry. But I have no doubt that Miss GF will be more vocal than is probably necessary to let them know what they should be teaching!
They look awesome, go Miss GF! And thanks for entering into Treat Petite 🙂
Thanks Kat. You're welcome x
Well done Miss GF, they look great! I have just made the oat and chocolate chip recipe, very nice.
Thanks DC. Miss GF is very chuffed with all the attention!
Good to hear you enjoyed the choc-chip recipe xx
You have no idea how much I like this easy gluten-free cookie! Pinning and Making it!
Thank you. Let us know how you get on xx
I''ve made similar cookies (possibly with choc chips) and they are amazing! Lucky you that she bakes and chooses amazing cookies! A bit sad that cooking teachers don't understand GF cooking. Not just sad for your daughter but for all the kids as it is suggests they are not curious about cooking and all the possibilities.
thanks Johanna. I am really lucky to have a daughter enthusing in the kitchen! And I have no doubt that she will teach the cookery teachers what they ought to already know!!!!
So easy to make!! What a brilliant recipe. Well done little Miss. I remember being that young and loving messi g around in the kitchen… I think I used to even bunk off school to stay home to cook. Good advice for any young child there! Thanks for linking to Simply Eggcelkent xxx
Hillarious, Dominic. I love the idea of bunking off to cook! Wish I'd thought of that as a teenager!!
Ha ha! Thanks Dom….. I am very proud of little Miss.
I seem to remember I did far more bunking off than I should have got away with….. I don't remember baking with the time as such, but used to make the weirdest combinations of sandwiches, toasties and drink concoctions! The baking was when I let myself into an empty house after school…. then all hell let loose!!!
We both have the peanut butter thing going on this week. Good to see a blog that can help so many people
Thanks Kate. There are so many GF's out there now, it is great to be able to support 'our' community!